‘Spring Flushing’ to begin in Woodbridge area

Woodbridge residents could soon see changes to the color and smell of their water as crews work to flush the system. 

The Prince William County Service Authority will be conducting its annual spring flushing of the water distribution system from late March through mid-June. This is a routine maintenance process and is not related to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Each spring, the Service Authority’s drinking water providers—Fairfax Water and the City of Manassas—temporarily change the primary disinfectant in their water treatment process from chloramines to free chlorine. 

“Our water providers indicate that this temporary change facilitates an effective flushing program for the distribution system and is a drinking water industry best practice,” said Prince William County Service Authority spokesman Kipp Hanley. 

As part of this spring cleaning of the water distribution system, the Service Authority will also be flushing its water mains between late March and mid-June by opening some fire hydrants and allowing them to flow freely for a short period of time. 

Customers might notice the following during spring flushing:

• Service Authority personnel and trucks performing hydrant flushing activities in their neighborhoods. 
• A slight chlorine smell in their tap water. We suggest that customers refrigerate tap water or use water filters to reduce chlorine odor. 
• Brief periods of cloudiness in their tap water. The Service Authority recommends running the cold-water tap for approximately two minutes to reduce cloudiness.

Here are some frequently asked questions about the spring flushing program.

The Service Authority will also provide updates about its Spring Flushing Program on its Facebook and Twitter feeds. These updates will specify the areas of the County where our crews will be flushing during specific time frames.